Automobile dirigible headlight.



r 0. A. PROKSCH. AUTOMOBILE DIRIGiBLE HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-21,1917 1,292,370. Patented Jan. 21,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

0. A. PROKSCH.

AUTOMOBILE DlRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT.

API ucmoN FILED n0v.21. 1912.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

OTTP A. PROKS CH, OF CHASEBUIRG, WISCONSIN.

nu'romourtn nInIsIBLn HEADLIGHT.

"Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

A iiii'cat'ion filed iv'ovembe 21, 1917. serial No. 203,203.

To all whomc'fmay 00mm; b p

Be it known that I, one A. PRoKsoH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chaseburg, in the county of Vernon and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomobileDirigibleHeadlights; and I do hereby 'declare the 7 followingto be ae111, clear, and

' responding direction with the front wheel of an automobile so thattherays of light from the headlights will be directed in the path of theautomobile at all times and also provides a construction which willobviate the blindingof the operator of the approaching automobile as therays of light from the headlights will be directed to one side of theroadway when passing the approaching automobile or vehicle. v I

vAnother object of this invention is the provision of means whereby theheadlights are conveniently connected to the steering mechanism of theautomobileso that upon moving the steeringmechanism to turn the frontwheels the headlights will be moved in a correspondingdirection andwhich means permits the steering mechanism carried by the 'front'axle tomove upwardly and downwardly when passing over uneven ground withoutaffecting or vibrating the headlights. v Y

A further object of this invention is the provisionof anautomobiledirigible headlight of the above stated character, which shall besimple, durable and eflicient, and which nay be manufactured and sold ata comparatively low cost.

With these and 'other objects in view a will become more apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings hi h t a a Figure 1is a front elevation of an automobile dirigible headlight constructed inaccordance with my invention, I i i Fig. 2 is a top plan view of thesame,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view takenon the line 33 "of Fig. 1, I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentarysectional view illustrating means of connectingthe headto thesteering knuckle of an automoa. a I

Fig. ,5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the meansof permitting the axle to move upwardly and downwardly withoutinfluencing the headlight,

(Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an actuating ro Fig. 7 is a detailsectional view illustrating the means of connecting the rods togetherwhich connect the headlight,

Fig. Sis adetail sectional view illustrating the means of connecting theinvention to the steering knuckle.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates thechas'sisof an automobile carrying the usual body 2 and which is securedtothe front axle 3 by springs 4. Thefront axle 3 isof the type employingsteering knuckles 5 on which are journaled front wheels 6. The steeringknuckles 5 are provided with rearwardly extending arms 7 which areconnected by a connecting rod 8 to which the steering mechanism of theautomobile is connected and Which .is not shown. The arms 7 extendthrough the steering knuckles 5 and usually have threaded thereto nutsfor securely fastening the arms to the steering knuckles. The chassis 1has secured thereto the ordinary mud guards or fenders 9 that overliethe front wheels 6. The foregoing description relates to a well knownconstruction of au tomobile and to which my invention is applied.

A pair of brackets 10 are secured to the mud guards or fenders 9 and areeachtprovided with arcuate shaped arms 11 to which are pivotedheadlights 12 of any ordinary construction. The headlights 12 havesecured thereto forwardly extending arms 13. One of the arms 13 haspivoted thereto an actuating rod 14, which rod is provided with a pin 15to which a connecting rod. 16 is pivoted and which is in turn pivoted tothe other arm 13 of the headlight so that upon movement of the actuatingrod 14, the headlights will be caused to move in correspondingdirections.

A suitable bracket 17 is provided with a cut out portion 18 which has aserrated face that engages the upper face of the front axle 3 and issecured thereto by means of a substantially U-shaped clamp 19. Thebracket 17 has a member 20 adjustabl secured thereto by means of a bolt21. his bolt 21 extends through the bracket 17 and through a slot 22 inthe member 20 so that the same can be readily adjusted in relation tothe bracket. The member 20 has formed thereon extensions 23 rovided witha socket 24 which cooperates with a socket 25 in a member 26 which issecured to the member 20 by a bolt 27 An operating rod 28 has a ball orsphere 29 formed u on its lower end which is dis osed within t e sockets25 and 24 so that t e rod can readily turn in relation to the member 20.The member or section 26 is provided with an opening for the purpose ofermitting the rod 28 to extend upwardly t erethrough. The rod 28 is oftriangular shape in cross section and is slidably received within abearing 30 provided with a triangular shaped opening to cooperate withthe formation of the rod. The bearing is carried by a suitable bracket31 which is provided with an extension 32. The extension 32 extends intoa bracket 33 and is adjustably secured therein by means of a collar 34secured upon the extension 32 by a set bolt 35. The bracket 33 issecured in any desired manner to the chassis 1 as illustrated at 36. Thebearing 30 is 'ournaled in the bracket 31 and has formed t ereon an arm37 to which the actuating rod 14 is pivoted.

n arm 38 is formed on the ball or sphere and has pivoted thereto a rodor member 39 which is in turn pivoted to a member 40. The member 40 hasone end internally screw threaded as clearly illustrated in Fig. 8 forthe purpose of threading thesame to the steering knuckle arm 7 after thenut has been removed therefrom so that upon movement of the steeringknuckle, the member 40 will be moved in a corresponding direction andthrough the remaining portions here toforo described of the invention,the headlights will be moved in a correspondin direction, thus throwingthe rays of light therefrom in the path of the front wheels at alltimes.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be noted that a device has been provided which willturn the headlights in a corresponding direction with the front wheelsof the automobile so that when the automobile is traveling upon a curvethe roadway will be illuminated. It will be further noted that means hasbeen provided which will compensate for the upward and downward movementof the front axlein passing over uneven ground without influencing orvi.- brating the headlights and also means has been provided whichpermits a slight lateral movement of the automobile body in relation tothe axle when passing over uneven ound.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction,combination and arrangement of parts, ma be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim 15:

1. A device of the character set forth comprising a pair of headlights,means pivotally supporting said headlights on an automobile an actuatingrod connected to one of the headlights, means connecting the otherheadlight to said actuating rod, a vertical rod slidably connected tothe actuating rod, means pivotally supporting the vertical rod on anautomobile, and means connecting the vertical rod to the steerinmechanism of an automobile to turn the ieadlights in a correspondingdirection with the front wheels.

2. A device of the character set forth comprising a pair of pivotallymounted headlights, an actuating rod connected to one of saidheadlights, means connecting the other headlight to said rod, a bracket,a triangular-shaped rod swivelly and adjustably connected to saidbracket, a bearing having a triangular-shaped opening receiving saidtriangular-shaped rod, means supporting said bearing, means connectingsaid bearing to the actuating rod, and means connecting the squared rodto the steering mechanism of the automobile.

3. A device of the character set forth comprising a pair of pivotallymounted headlights, an actuating rod connected to one of saidheadlights," means connecting the other headlight to said rod, abracket, :1 triangular-shaped rod connected to said bracket, meansconnecting said triangularshaped rod to the steering mechanism of theautomobile, a bearing having a triangularshaped opening recelvin saidtriangularshaped rod, a second bracfiiet, means adjustably and rotatablysecuring the second bracket to the bearing, an arm formed on saidbearing, and means connecting said arm to the actuating rod.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OTTO A. PROKSCH.

Witnesses:

AUGUsT T. KAPANKE, GUs'r M. LENSER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commilsioner of Patentm Washington, D. G!-

